Patrick Leahy was elected to the United States Senate in 1974 and remains the only Democrat elected to this office from Vermont. At 34, he was the youngest U.S. Senator ever to be elected from the Green Mountain State.
Leahy was born in Montpelier and grew up across from the State House. A graduate of Saint Michael's College in Colchester (1961), he received his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center (1964). He served for eight years as State's Attorney in Chittenden County where he gained a national reputation for his law enforcement activities and was selected as one of three outstanding prosecutors in the United States in 1974.
In Vermont, schools are at the core of what brings our communities together. Vermonters understand the importance of providing our children with a quality education. They understand that a child's education begins well before their first day of school, and will continue long after graduation day.
Senator Leahy has long been a champion of supporting education in Vermont and on the national stage. Senator Leahy fought to secure federal grants to support pre-kindergarten programs at public schools, he has been an advocate for special education programs, and he firmly believes no student should be denied the opportunities of a college education because of a family’s financial resources.
Senator Leahy also regularly holds online chats with classrooms around Vermont to discuss current events, the government and his passion for Vermont.